Minutes and Testimonies, 12–29 November 1838, Copy and Letter [State of Missouri v. Gates et al. for Treason]
Source Note
Minutes and Testimonies, [, Ray Co., MO], 12–29 Nov. 1838, State of MO v. Gates et al. for Treason (Fifth Judicial Circuit of MO 1838). Copied with letter ca. late 1838–ca. early 1839; unidentified handwriting; fifty-one pages; Mormons Collection, 1813–1970, Missouri History Museum.
and take up arms. About a week before the surrender of the mormons to the militia, I went to , my name was enroled & I was forbid to leave the . and was paraded twice a day, & the roll called—
While there I heard Joseph Smith Jr in a speech to the company of perhaps 200 under arms say, It was impossible to please a mob, that he had applied to the , & he understood the said he could do nothing for us. He said that the whole was a mob & that the was nothing but a mob, and if he came upon them he would make war upon him, He cursed the as a damn mob, and said that God would damn them, He observed that the people might think he was swearing, but that the Lord would not take notice of it. And further this deponent saith not.
Samuel Kimbel
a witness for the produced sworn and examined, deposeth and saith:—
About the 17th of April last at a meeting of perhaps 15 or 25 in Joseph Smith Jr spoke in refference to difficulties they had had & their persecutions &c in and out of the Church. Mr Smith said he did not intend in future to have any process served on him, and the officer who attempted <it> should die. That any person who spoke or acted against the presidency or the Church should leave the or die. that he would suffer no such to remain there— that they should lose their head who was there present, observed “the head of their influence I suppose.” Smith replied yes he would so modefy it. then [p. [28]]